Wednesday Briefs: January 8, 2019

Here is a list of all the authors flashing this week, along with a brief snippet from their latest free work. Click the link after the snippet to be taken to the complete story on the author’s home page.

Adrift: Chapter 73 by J. Alan Veerkamp

Less than a minute later, Vosh made a show of the collar’s remote as he entered the open cell, brandishing it like some ancient ward against evil. Arad placed a hand on Roku’s shoulder. He could feel the muscles wound and tense, ready for action under his touch. A warning yowl made Arad shiver. Roku had rolled to a crouch, poised on a hair trigger to take another shot at Vosh, restrained or not.

“Don’t. Please,” Arad whispered. The tension remained, but Roku eased back a bit. Now was not the time.

“I don’t want to hear it. We have more important things to worry about than my mother’s lousy taste in bond mate. I will deal with the fallout from this after we get our people back. Understood?”

Slowly everyone nodded. Tristan focused on Carl and finally his mate acquiesced with a tilt of his head. But, the look in his eyes said they would be having a serious conversation at their earliest convenience.

With a curt gesture, he strode forward, picking his way over the body of the man he had thought of as his father. Now? He wasn’t so sure.

Ryan wanted to protest. He wanted to throw himself between Liza and Ben, use himself as a shield to keep Ben safe from her. Be a barrier between them, one she couldn’t get past. But he didn’t, and he knew he shouldn’t. Ben was an adult and he was capable of dealing with the situation on his own. But that didn’t mean Ryan wasn’t going to support him in everyy way possible. Even if he had to step in to do it.

He was pleased when Ben took his hand and clasped it in his own as he strode toward the house, a determined look on his handsome face. Liza had risen from the lawn chair and was gliding toward them with a welcoming smile. One which became a scowl as she took in the sight of their joined hands. But the next moment, she quickly shrugged it off, focusing on Ben.

“Show!” Female troll demanded, spit spraying from her thick lips and over her chin and overly-large chest. “Want to see pretties.”

I only barely opened the bag, pulling out a single stone. Holding it between my forefinger and thumb, I exposed it to the light from their fire. The facets glinted, shining in a unique bright red with almost an inner radiance. “See the pretty. And this is just one.” I hefted the bag, then tucked it beneath my shirt, making a show of straightening my weapon belt at my hip.